Father Adolfo’s first press conference

Rome Reports, a TV news agency, has footage from Father Adolfo’s first press conference. View it here.

Videos of the recently-elected Jesuit Father General

Father General, Adolofo Nicolás, speaks about what it means to be a Jesuit.
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Father Adolfo meets the press

From the SJ Press Office, Rome: In view of the strong desire shown by the media for an ‘interview’ with Father General, Fr. General decided to meet the strong desire of the media for an ‘interview’ halfway. As this was not yet the moment for Father General to talk about the Congregation before he had received indications and even ‘mandates’, it was decided to invite the journalists for an encounter in which Father General would greet them and say a few words. No questions would be entertained. Around 65 journalists (three TV stations) accepted the conditions and came to meet him. Father General made a 20 minutes speech which was very well received. Then the journalists visited the aula of the Congregation.

You can find a translation of Father Nicolás’ talk, prepared by Vatican radio, in this PDF from SJ Press Office.

Milltown welcomes adult learners to come and look

Working in tandem with the AONTAS Adult Learners’ Festival, the Milltown Institute is holding an Open Evening on Tuesday 5 February to introduce its adult education courses. It extends an invitation to all comers to “explore your questions about Spirituality, Philosophy and Theology in an open friendly environment”. At 6.15pm and again at 7.15pm, there will be a short presentation about what Milltown has to offer, but callers are welcome at any time during the evening. For more details, email Sorcha Woods or phone 01-2776352.

Who are the Jesuits of today?

Who are the Jesuits of today? What is their future? And why are they still seen by some Protestants as such a threat? With these introductory questions, William Crawley turned to Alan McGuckian SJ on BBC Radio Ulster’s Sunday Sequence on 27 January. The interview was occasioned by the election of Adolfo Nicolás as Superior General. Others interviewed on the occasion were Michael Walsh, writer, broadcaster and former Jesuit, and John Wilkins, former editor of the Tablet. Listen to Sunday Sequence here.

Strings to his bow

Colaiste Iognaid student Finn Gormley was featured in last week’s Sunday Tribune as he not only plays left wing for the Connaught Under-18 Schools Rugby, but he also is the Irish Under-18 Windsurfing Wave Champion. Finn is on the current college senior cup team, was on the Connaught Senior league winning team before Christmas, and has dreams of playing for Ireland. He was the overall winner of the 2006 Irish Wave Sailing Championship, a specialisation within windsurfing.

Distinguished thinker speaks at Milltown

One of the world’s leading thinkers on religion and science, Dr John Polkinghorne, will give a public lecture in the Milltown Institute on the theme of ‘Human personhood: the context of hominid evolution’. It will take place on Tuesday, 19 February 2008. Dr Polkinghorne had a long and highly distinguished academic career – he taught theoretical physics for many years, held a Chair at Cambridge, was appointed President of Queen’s College, was made a Fellow of the Royal Society, and was awarded the Templeton Prize in 2002. On top of all this, he was ordained an Anglican priest in 1982. For further details about his Milltown lecture, email Gabrielle McCabe.

Insight into theology of Pope Benedict

Michael Paul Gallagher SJ will give an insight into Pope Benedict XVI’s theology in a lecture in St Mary’s University College, Falls Road, Belfast, on Tuesday 29 January 2008. The lecture is entitled Pope Benedict’s Theology of Faith: A time of crisis and hope – also for Ireland? Michael Paul, a well-known author, currently dean of the faculty theology at the Gregorian University in Rome, is back in Ireland for a few days.

Fr Adolfo Nicolás meets the Pope

After a busy first week as newly elected Fr General, Fr Nicolás met with His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI and renewed his vows before him.

The Saturday audience began with a photo session and then the two sat down for a warm and friendly conversation. The Holy Father was pleased to hear that that the general congregation had formed a committee to study his letter to Father Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, the previous superior general, and then the conversation turned to Japan, where Fr. Nicolás had served for 33 years. Read more »

Jesuit future discussed on BBC

The future of the Jesuits will be discussed on BBC Radio Ulster’s Sunday Sequence programme this Sunday 26 January at 8.30 a.m. The panel is Alan McGuckian SJ, John Wilkins, former editor of ‘The Tablet’, and Michael Walsh, author and broadcaster and formerly a Jesuit and librarian at Heythrop College.

Listen to BBC Radio Ulster Sunday Sequence

Íosánaigh ar An tuath nua

A day in Tony O’Riordan’s work at the Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice features as part of a factual programme to be broadcast on TG4. An Tuath Nua airs on the Irish-language channel on Friday 25 January at 7:30 p.m. Tony was interviewed by Pádraic Ó Neachtain in October for this element of the factual series which this week covers various religious topics. Glimpses of Jesuit life are presented in a package which includes interviews with Buddhist monks in Cork and a look at the power of angels. The programme will be repeated on Sunday 27 January at 8:00 p.m. Is ar éigin go mbeidh an clár le feiscint ar ball ag www.tg4.tv > Clár eile – Cartlann > An Tuath nua 25/1.

New Jesuit Father General – Audio

Fergus O’Donoghue SJ, Irish Jesuit Archivist and Editor of Studies, speaks to Eileen Good of RNN about Adolfo Nicolás who was elected Jesuit Superior General on Saturday 19 January 2008. Play the audio here (Courtesy of ©RNN):

 

 New Jesuit Father General [5:37m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Fr General gives homily at Mass of Thanksgiving

The text of the homily delivered by Adolfo Nicolás at the Mass of Thanksgiving celebrated on Sunday 20 January has been issued by S.J. Press Office, Rome.

Above all I would like to say that this is not a message for the whole world. Rather, it is merely a simple homily; a prayerful reflection of today’s readings for us Jesuits who are here this afternoon.

The first reading taken from the prophet Isaiah briefly describes to us Christians our mission in the world. The prophet Isaiah tells us that we have all been called to serve, that we are here precisely to serve. It is a clear message regarding our mission as Jesuits, as Christians, as the people of God. God has made us servants and, in so doing, God finds delight. The Spanish version of this first reading says that God is proud of the servant, while the Italian version says that God “is satisfied”. Read more »